In Addition | How Robert Singer Utilizes Extra Space

For what would be a similar size investment to that of adding another supercar to your garage, you can add an ADU—accessory dwelling unit—to your property, and its function will be more than just an accessory; it has the potential to increase the value of your home, appreciate over time and create space for living well on your property.

Enter Robert Singer, an award-winning lighting consultant, who, along with his wife, Cynthia, recently designed and built an ADU on their property. He partnered with architect Nick Mancusi, with the shared idea that a compact but bold architectural statement could be made with an ADU that offers luxurious living in less than 600 square feet and a building envelope of 24 x 32 feet.

“With the price per square footage on the rise in Paradise Valley, we chose to build a permanent structure on our property to add value and space, pouring a concrete pad that includes a shaded patio and overlooks a putting green. Our thought was that for the price of a jet card, private club membership or Ferrari with all the amenities, we could build a space that could host our guests, accommodate visiting family or serve as additional office space for our businesses,” says Singer.

The process began about a year ago when Singer worked with Mancusi to design the unit.

“We didn’t want one of those containers that wasn’t affixed to the ground. We wanted a safe and solid feel to the dwelling. One that would offer the same luxurious feeling of our main house,” says Singer.

Being an industry veteran, he installed high-quality, controlled lighting with a Lutron HomeWorks system, which ties into the main home.

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“It has its own integral processor; I can program it from my phone, and I can operate it from the main house. We can set lighting levels for everything inside and out. I designed it with the best linear product that we specify for our billionaire clients. Everything is mud-in installation, which is super high-end, timeless and offers super clean lines,” he says.

His company also recommends shading solutions for his high-end clients, and he used his experience in that area to design the shading for the structure to allow natural light during the morning and shade the unit from the setting sun.

Singer installed custom, surface-mounted roller shades from Lutron hidden behind a creative design solution, which hides the shading from view when fully open. The shades are all battery-powered and run on RF, eliminating the need for a power source.

“The casita, as the Singers call it, has a Mid-Century Modern vibe, which complements the main house and can work with so many modern homes across The Valley,” says Singer.

The exterior patio features an extended beveling that creates a shaded area on the terrace, which is perfect for entertaining, grilling or waking to the morning sun.

Inside, the casita is fully equipped with a Fisher & Paykel dish-washing drawer, Summit refrigeration, an LG microwave and an induction cooktop. There is also a Samsung washer and dryer. The kitchen cabinetry, plumbing and countertops equate to the quality you’d see in a multi-million-dollar mansion.

“A permanent island seemed too restrictive to us, so we designed a movable island that you could pull out if you wanted to, potentially using it as a breakfast counter, a bar top or a workstation. It can be moved to the patio for entertaining, too,” he says.

Polished concrete floors are saw-cut with scoring that creates 4 x 4 squares inside and transitions from matte on the outside. While the space offers fully integrated HVAC, the concrete holds the coolness in. The concrete lighting pendants echo this vibe in matte gray with neutral muted tones.

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The bath is modern and comfortably large, with matte black plumbing and accessories. “We prioritized counter space in the bath and wanted a larger shower with an open-door detail that doesn’t feel claustrophobic. The shower is 5 x 9, which feels good in this space,” says Singer, who floated the vanity in the bath with his signature lighting details below, serving as a night light.

Of course, the decorative lighting reflects Singer’s design flair. He used a pair of stunning Murano blown-glass fluted pendants in a brilliant cobalt blue in the bedroom.

“There is this invisible thread that ties the guest home to the main house. When you look left and right, it has the same flavor, and we used a lot of the same materials for continuity,” says Singer.

“For us, we saw home values increasing, and we felt we could probably triple the value of this unit, adding to the overall value of our property, which should be a huge ROI in the end. I guess I could have bought something else, but this investment will grow in value and not decrease in value on day one,” says Singer.

“What I learned from this process is that I loved working on the casita; I worked out the kinks as I went along and discovered a way to build this for a fraction of what it would have cost me to have a builder come in and build a guest house from the ground up. I was getting estimates for about a million dollars for that. We have created a new division in our company to build these for others at a very attractive cost and an even more attractive aesthetic,” says Singer, who is excited about this new venture.